Frozen Chronicles: The Legend of the Snow Queen
by Eric Jameson
Summary: For years, the legend of the Snow Queen has been. Before the Great Thaw, before the Frozen Winter, before the birth of Princess Elsa―even before the history of Arendelle...the legend existed. And now, Queen Elsa(forever reconciled with her sister, Anna), must find the truth―the TRUTH of her beginnings. This is more than just a fairy tale―it is the legend of the Snow Queen.
1. Chapter 1: Strange Dreams

[Part 1] Chapter 1: Strange Dreams

_Somewhere…somewhere in her dream, a voice was calling._

_"Elsa." The voice called; it was a small voice, but sounded so familiar that it was almost like the summer breeze softly touching her ear. "Elsa. Elsa."_

_And gradually, as if time itself was running faster, the voice grew louder. The stillness which surrounded Elsa in her dream started to shake, and it was if she was standing on top of a small boat, floating on top of a small lake; the waters suddenly moving. Before she knew it, the tides were driving against the boat much harder, and the wind was becoming more violent. Elsa was afraid she would lose her balance, and for a minute she did, but as she got back up, the voice, much louder now, rang once again._

_"Elsa!" Someone called, but in a playful manner. "Elsa-Elsa-Elsa-Elsa!"_

_Suddenly, a radiating glow appeared behind Elsa. Slowly, she turned to see something she never dreamed of seeing before_—_except she was dreaming and her eyes was beholding it—a winter sprite. But winter sprites were only fairy tale creatures, like the ones her mother always read about every night before bed...but mother didn't read that night...How could this be?_

_"A winter sprite?" Elsa inquired of it. The shining little creature, which floated like a small balloon fairy, gingerly smiled at her._

_"Why were you calling me?"_

_The winter sprite chuckled elegantly at her question, winked at her and then flew off the boat, hovering smoothly above the lake. Elsa tried to run after it, but feared of falling off the boat. The hazy white light of the flying creature gradually faded away._

_"Wait! Come back! Come back!"_

_Then again, the voice boomed, echoing through the dream;_

_"ELSA!"_

_It never occurred to her until that moment, but the voice sounded like...it sounded like Anna's voice. Was it Anna's voice? It couldn't be so..._

_"Anna?" Elsa looked around for a sign, "Where are you?"_

_"She is not here, Princess." A woman's voice answered, in an echo, behind her. Quickly, Elsa turned to see a tall woman clothed in a white, glowing bear cloak. Her hair was all white as well and a bow and arrow was strapped on her person. Bright blue eyes, set symmetrically in their sockets, watched Elsa as if they could see through her soul. There was something about this lady that made Elsa feel uplifted and...somewhat uncomfortable._

_In fact, now that she thought of it, this woman looked like the lady in that book she and Anna picked up to read at the library not too long ago. The book about the old...myths and legends. Then it hit her straight_—_this was a goddess._

_"Yes, Princess." The lady in white answered as if reading her mind, "I am a goddess."_

_Elsa froze instantly, yes_—_Elsa __**FROZE**_—_she was much too awestruck. She may have also seemed to have lost her oratory skills._

_"A..A g-g-g..."_

_"A goddess, yes, but do not fear." The lady in white slowly moved forwards to meet her, "I am a friend."_

_"Who-? Who are you?" Elsa tried her best to keep from shivering, but she couldn't help it._

_"I am Skathi; goddess of the winter, as many may know me." She lays a hand on Elsa's shaking shoulder. "Do not shake, Princess. There is no need to fear. Are you cold?"_

_"N-n-no." Elsa was shaking more visibly now, "I'm not c-c-c-cold."_

_"Then why are you afraid?" The winter goddess chuckled; then she lifted up her arms towards the sky._

_Suddenly, magic filled the air and it was as if white, radiant sparks of electricity was pouring out from the goddess herself, and swam zig-zaggedly up towards the black clouds above. Then, the darkness scattered and, like a curtain quickly unraveling, the clouds dissipated, revealing the full glory of the bright sun now shining._

_Elsa was confounded, and it took a little longer for her to realize another wander. Just as unexpectedly, it started raining_—_no, it was __**SNOWING!**_

**"**_Whoaaa..." the Princess of Arendelle kept her mouth open in utter awe, she didn't know how to explain what was happening._

_"Are you still afraid?" The goddess, who was now standing behind Elsa, whispered to her ear. Elsa turns to face her, and was so taken in by amazement that she found it rather difficult to say answer._

_"I...I..." Elsa thought for a second. She looks down momentarily, then slowly tilts her head up to the sky; she found the words;_

_"No. I'm not afraid."_

_As she spoke those words, her own magic started to flow out of her and into the air. The snow that had been falling in front of her began to swirl into a miniature twister. Elsa held out her right hand as she closed her eyes and started to mold the snow into shape. When she had finished, she opened her eyes and took a deep breath. There in front of her, glistening white with her magic, stood a still, silently-smiling snowman—Olaf._

_"A snowman?" The winter goddess, Skathi, smiled as she tilted her head, curiously observing Elsa's masterpiece. Elsa grins proudly as she looked him over herself._

_"Yes." Elsa looks up at the goddess with a smile on her face, "He's my snowman. His name is Olaf, and he's the one Anna and I build together all the time." Elsa turns to look at Olaf once more, then she turns back again, "Oh! And I almost forgot one thing. He likes warm hugs!"_

_"Well, that's very lovely, Princess." The goddess smiles at her; she then bends down to the Princess's eye level, "Tell me then, Princess Elsa, are you still cold?"_

_"Me? Cold?" Elsa huffed with a sort of regal pride, "No. Never."_

_Then suddenly_—

_"__**ELSAAAA!**__" The voice, once again, boomed like thunder. For a moment, the whole boat, the lake_—_the entire dream shook. Elsa lost her balance and fell, she looked over behind her and Olaf, her snowman, had disappeared._

_The goddess, who had been standing still and quietly, helped Elsa back to her feet._

_"Excuse me miss_—_" Elsa stopped herself just in time, suddenly realizing who she was speaking to, "_—_goddess...sorry, but do you know who's voice that is that keeps calling my name?"_

_"Skathi, Your Highness, you may call me Skathi; I am a friend." The winter goddess smiles brightly, "And as for the voice_—_that is truly your sister's voice."_

_"Anna?" This confused Elsa further, "But you said she wasn't here. Whenever I have a dream, Anna's always around. And Anna's always in person, why is_—_?"_

_"__**ELSA**_—_**AAA!**__" The voice, Anna's voice sounded desperate now._

_"Anna!" Elsa tried to console her little sister's plea-like cries, or she could as well have been speaking to an invisible wall. The goddess, Skathi, placed both hands on Elsa's shoulders and turned her towards her._

_"She is not here, not in your dream_—_no, but she is calling you." Another vague smile appeared on the goddess's face, "She is wondering why her older sister is such a heavy sleeper."_

_Elsa was puzzled, this goddess-woman was very riddling at times. Why would Elsa be wondering why she's a heavy sleeper_—? A_nd no, she was not a heavy sleeper just for the record._

_"It doesn't matter now, I must go and you must wake." Skathi was now eye to eye with Elsa, and her blue eyes seemed to be telling the Princess a story, "What does matter, is that you know I am your friend and that I will always be here from now on. You have a very rare and special gift, Princess...a very powerful gift, something that only you yourself know deep inside. I know you are doubtful, but I shall make myself clearer in the future. Until then, you must remember: fear is but a cold shadow deep within you. Light up the dark and you shall never be afraid."_

_Elsa stares at the goddess for a few more seconds; then the goddess gave her a cool, gentle kiss on the forehead. Skathi smiles at the Princess as she drew up to her full height, tall and divine._

_"Thank you...mi_—_Skathi...goddess." Elsa gives the goddess a low bow. The lady in white smiles once more, and it seemed as if flakes of snow were swirling around her form, covering her as she turned towards Elsa one last time._

_"Oh, and one more thing Princess." The winter goddess leaned forward as the snow started to cover her lower torso; she was vanishing._

_"Never let the cold bother you." Skathi held out a hand to her mouth and blew a snowflake towards Elsa, and then she disappeared..._

_One single snowflake floated towards her. Elsa held out her hands to catch it. As she carefully looked it over, she noticed that it was glowing with the goddess's magic and inscribed right on the center the words_—_**ÁST**__..._

_"__**ELSAAAAAAAAAA**_—_**!**__"_

_Just then, suddenly, everything jumped._

* * *

"**ELSA!**"

The Princess Royal of Arendelle awoke in an instance, her soft cerulean eyes popping open with apparent surprise. Two thoughts settled deep in her head. One, that was one of the strangest dreams, if not the strangest of all, she had ever dreamed. Secondly—

_'I have got to stop reading fairy tales and myths for a while.'_

As her mind adjusted to reality, Elsa felt something heavy on top of her, and it didn't take her long to find her little sister staring at her with big, wildly-excited eyes. It was Anna.

_'That explains all the jumping.'_

"Anna." Elsa cried out exhaustively as if her patience was slowly dying, "What do you want?"

Anna was comfortably on top of her sister, who had been sleeping on her side the whole time; and, as usual, seemed to be quite eager about something. Anna was always enthusiastic about something and Elsa didn't quite share her sister's optimism about everything, but nevertheless, she was the elder one. And the elder one was the responsible one. If keeping Anna entertained meant less trouble for their parents, then so be it, as long as entertaining Anna involved no trouble for the both of them. Just then, Anna shifted on top of Elsa and struggled to kneel on top of her.

"I had a dream!" Anna answered, her knees constantly slipping off of Elsa's side, "I was...ehh...I was living inside a triple-fudge, milk chocolate cottage...empf—Elsa quit moving! So, I was living inside a triple-fudge, milk chocolate cottage, and the weather was so nice, cause it was snowing candy powder everywhere...ooh—! And you'll never guess what!"

Elsa wearily tries to turn, but decides not to, despite the irritating pain starting up on her side, to keep Anna relaxed. Instead, she draws up on her elbow to answer her sister;

"What?"

"Guess!" Anna slightly jumps.

Elsa sighs uncomfortably, after which she smiles faintly.

"I don't know, Anna...what is it?"

"YOU! Were in my dream!" Anna's eyes go wide as she playfully bounces atop Elsa. "And then this small, giant glow bug came knocking on the door and then..." [Anna's voice fades]

Elsa's focus suddenly became serious and her eyes turned from soft and sleepy to dark and concentrated; she was wide awake now. '_How could this be?_' Elsa wondered to herself, '_How could I be in her dream...and she in mine? And the glow bug, could that have been a winter sprite?_' It was a funny thought, but of course it wasn't anything common. It couldn't just be any coincidence. Could it?

"ELSA!" Anna suddenly bounded up closer to where her face was three inches away from Elsa's. Elsa abruptly came back to reality, and she shook her head lightly.

"Elsa, you're not paying attention!"

"Sorry. I-I'm sorry..." Elsa gives her little sister a quick smile, "I was just thinking."

"Thinking?" Anna suddenly slouched back to a sitting position, she blankly considered Elsa with a curious face, "About what?"

"I... " Elsa didn't know how to explain it to her little sister, it was an absurd topic, "I...had a dream too."

"Well, it's really nothing to worry about," Anna shuffled momentarily, "Everyone has dreams, Elsa."

Elsa gave Anna a blank stare that could have have been interpreted as, "Tell me something I don't know," but instead she just huffed.

Yes, Anna." Elsa turns suddenly; causing her sister to fall off her and off the side of her bed, "I know."

Anna landed on her back with a thump and an, 'oof!'

"I'm okayyy!" She called back to Elsa. The Princess was tough for a little girl of five years.

Elsa, on the other hand, was feeling awkward, something she wasn't really used to. It didn't matter, it was only a dream after all. And, as Anna said, "Everyone has dreams..." Except that this dream was unlike any dream she'd had before. Anna never appeared as a mysterious, loud echoing voice in any other dream she'd had of her; and she dreamt about Anna a lot. As for the other strange things in her dreams...well, that she could not explain. But really—_winter sprites and white goddesses_? How ridiculous! They're all just myths she thought up somehow...

Anna climbs back up on the bed as if it were some small mountain between her and Elsa.

"Besides...empf—!" Anna struggles to sit up, "What was your dream about anyways?"

"Nothing important," Elsa nearly frowns at her sister, "Like you said, it's just a dream and everyone has dreams—nothing important."

"Oh come on! You know I was only kitting about it." Anna pleadingly whines at her sister. It was really just another one of Anna's ways of apologizing, "Tell me, Elsa! What was your dream about? Please, tell me."

Elsa sighs, then she gives Anna a squinting look.

"Fine." She finally relents.

So, for about six minutes or so, Elsa related to Anna the entire sequence of her 'strange' dream; leaving out only the parts when the winter goddess, Skathi, started to speak in riddles. Elsa didn't think Anna would've understood all the weird phrases, so she cut the dialogue short. Overall, however, Anna seemed to be extremely interested, but then again—she was Anna.

"...And that's when I woke up. When you jumped on my back, trying to wake me."

Elsa finished; she couldn't tell whether Anna would shout something hysterical or just stare at her in wonderment and awe. Anna sort of just looked at her, or the ceiling, with bewildered amazement.

"Wowwww..." Anna finally said, her mouth left open, "So, I had a giant's voice? I mean, I know I'm big and all that, and my voice does get, " Anna lowers her tiny chin down to her chest in an attempt to make her voice deeper, "—pretty '**deep**'."

Both Princesses immediately begin to giggle. Anna proceeds;

"And '**terrifying**'." She croaked in a silly toad-like register.

They then burst into sweet laughter. Elsa's laugh sounding soft, high-pitched, controlled and Princess-like, in direct contrast to Anna's light, squeaky, obnoxiously-free, Princessly-ish giggles.

"Anna—!" Elsa tries to stop laughing, one hand on her belly, her pauses for breath sounding like short hiccups, "Anna, quit it!"

"Why?! It's funny!" Anna was rolling all over Elsa's bed now, her chuckling laughter getting ridiculously loud.

"Anna—!" Elsa reaches over to try to keep her little sister from falling off the bed, "Anna, calm down. Stop rolling around—eh! You're going to fall..."

"Wh—whoa!" Anna fell off the edge with another *thud*.

"Anna!" Elsa crawls towards the edge of her bed in worried concern, she looks down at her still giggling sister. "Anna."

"It's okay, Elsa." Anna tries to open her eyes, tears of laughter falling to her cheeks, "I'm okayyy."

Elsa smiles wearily at her. Anna was very fun and all, and Elsa loved her more than anything, but boy was she a handful! Ever since Anna could walk—or even talk—signs of her highly-energetic, high-spirited, super-optimistic character was apparent to everyone. It was one of the things Elsa loved about her sister, and one of the things that never failed to make her smile. Anna was a very interesting sister.

Then all of a sudden, someone knocked on their door.

"Girls! Girls!" It was their mother, the Queen Ithunn, "Girls it's time to get up."

Anna immediately jumps up, nearly falling again in the process, and Elsa rushes to fix her bed.

"Come on, Anna!" Elsa whispers hoarsely.

"I'm going! I'm going!" Anna matches her tone, but still carelessly loud.

"Girls, your breakfast is already prepared. I want you both ready by the time you get downstairs, your father has something to show the both of you."

"Yes mama!" Elsa answers with a responsible shout, then returns to a whisper, "—hurry up, Anna!"

"Okay-okay! Don't rush me!"

The sound of rustling clothes, running water, turning off of running water, running feet, then running water again could be heard from outside of their bedroom door. Inside, however, surprisingly quick progress did occur on both sides of the bedroom. Princess Elsa was already dressed—a light blue chemise, deep blue skirt, dark blue over-coat with frills and her stockings &amp; shoes of course. Princess Anna was having a little trouble with her collar—they were almost always turned upwards—and her shoes were struggling to keep her feet in them, but overall she was technically dressed: lavender blue chemise with white lacing and a simple forest green over-dress and skirt.

"Anna! What are you doing?! Hurry up and get dressed!" Elsa fixes the small ruffles on her skirt as she glances over at Anna, who was literally about to tear her collar off her neck.

"I—egh! I'mmm—tryyying! Egh!"

Elsa paces over to help her little sister. Anna plops her bottom down on her own bed to let Elsa fix her collar for her; it only took ten seconds.

"Thanks sis!" Anna throws herself on Elsa. Elsa pats her back, then scowls gently at her.

"Your welcome, now—ugh, hurry up and get your shoes on! What time is it?" Elsa turns towards the clock on the wall beside Anna's bed.

"Empf—!" Anna limps on one foot to steady herself as she struggles to put her left shoe on, "How should I know?"

"Well, you know how to read the time don't you?" Elsa smiles at her sister as if joking, but was answered with a blank stare.

"You don't."

Anna shakes her head, "Na-ah. I don't."

Elsa sighs and goes over to help her sister with her shoes. "It's half-past seven." Elsa says rather faintly.

"Okay." Anna sits down while Elsa kneels down to put her shoes on.

"Why can't you read the time?" Elsa looks up at Anna as she struggles to keep her legs still, "Didn't you learn anything from Madame Hald?"

Anna starts kicking her legs again; she always seemed to act unconcerned when it came to their tutor. Anna fakes a smile;

"No. I don't like that lady. She's so boring and...soooo lame." Anna makes an exaggerated stretch, then lays back on her bed, though still kicking her legs back and forth. Elsa finishes tying her shoes, then sits on the bed next to her.

"But she is our tutor, Anna. You're supposed to listen to her."

At this, Anna gives Elsa a look that seemed to be scolding her.

"You don't listen to her."

"Yes, I do."

"Noooo—no, you..." Anna sits up, "—you were being bad yesterday. When Madame Hald came over to your table, and she found you writing poetry instead of doing your map activity, and then she took away your journal, and as soon as she turned around you iced her sandals."

Elsa nearly giggled at that last note. She couldn't help but remember the look on their old tutor's face when she...slipped.

"I didn't ice her sandals."

"Liar! Yes you did!" Anna protested, "I saw you do it right after Madame Hald turned around—you liar!"

"I did not. ice. her—"

"Yes! You! Did! Too!"

And then, another knock on the door.

"Princess Elsa! Princess Anna!" It was Kai, their royal servant and personal valet, "Your mother, Her Most Royal Majesty, asked me to—"

"Yes Kai!" Both Princess call out from inside. "We're coming out!"

Kai was about to proceed with whatever else he was told to tell the girls, but—

Elsa and Anna suddenly burst out of their room without warning, causing Kai to nearly fall back in bewilderment. It was like two strong gusts of wind blew out of the room and straight out; in fact that's what it always seemed to be like. Both Princesses hurriedly rush towards the stairs with frolicking excitement.

"Sorry, Kai! We're in a hurry!" Elsa yells back, her focus elsewhere. Anna follows running behind her older sister.

"Me too, Kai! Sorry, Kai!"

Kai takes a deep breath, the kind one would take after nearly falling off a high ledge or cliff; he then proceeds to close the Princesses' bedroom door.

* * *

Breakfast didn't take too long; you have to understand that the royal family of Arendelle were quick eaters: '_descendants from a long line of vikings', was_ what King Agdar always said. Well, if you want to narrow that down to the two royal princesses, Anna and Elsa, then you can pretty much guess how short breakfast lasted. But breakfast was not the most interesting part of that morning, most important part maybe, but not the most interesting. As for the breakfast table...let's just say that royal etiquette was skipped that morning, although the Queen did manage to save the fried sausages from almost certain decimation.

Afterwards, the Queen took Elsa and Anna outside through the courtyard towards the main tower gates. It was there that they found the King, who was obviously busy, talking with a few of the Royal Guards and one of the gate wardens.

"Hey, it's papa!" Anna yells out, holding her mother's hand with Elsa, as they walk over towards him.

"Come on!" Elsa could barely wait, and ran off before the Queen could loosen her hold on her.

Both Princesses ran and skipped over to where the King was. King Agdar hadn't noticed them at first, although he was the one who desired to see them straightway after breakfast, but finally turned his head as the joyful shouts of, "_Papa! Papa!", _gradually rang through the air in his direction. He couldn't help but smile as he saw his girls leaping for him, and as soon as they came close enough he gave both the warmest of embraces.

"Oh!" King Agdar allowed himself a grinning laugh as he lifted both girls off their feet and into his chest, "Oh, my girls! How are you both this very fair and sunny morning?"

"We're full, papa!" Anna whooped out, putting her right arm around her father's neck. King Agdar smiled, considering his youngest daughter's eyes; she was happy—a little too happy, perhaps, but she was Anna.

"Are you? You enjoyed your breakfast then! That's all good." He then turns to his eldest, bright and angelic, his smiling heir, "You both took the time to eat properly, I hope?"

Elsa smiled wider. "Not too properly."

The king grinned, the shining crescents on his face holding back a giant roar of laughter. He bumps foreheads with Elsa and gently kisses her pale, faintly-smiling nose.

"We saved you some _vafflers._" Anna added. Her father turns to face her and puts on a proud nodding face.

"That's very kind of you, Princess."

"I know how much you **love** chocolate _vafflers,_" Said Anna, "So I left a few for you, but...except I bit off of a few, there was a little chocolate syrup on one and I ate it, but there's still two left."

"It's fine, Anna." The King chuckled mildly. Just then, the gate warden came pacing over;

"Milord! They are approaching now."

"Ah—alright!" King Agdar puts both Princesses down and quickly nods at the warden. "Have the guards ready! And open up the gates!"

The warden nods momentarily and then paces back over to the gate house. He calls out to one of the guards up top the curtain wall gallery.

"Open the gates! "

And just like that, the entrance gates creaked open with the sound of twenty giant pine trees falling down after being cut. It was always a spectacle for everyone who lived inside the castle, and only because the gates rarely opened as much as they used to in the days before Princess Elsa, the Royal Heir, had been born. However, visits like these were quite commonplace. In fact, the visiting party could probably be just another noble house from somewhere in or near Arendelle.

Who's visiting, papa? " Little Anna inquired.

"What sort of business is it this time, papa?" Elsa asked too.

"Well, l'm surprised your mother hasn't told the both of you." King Agdar slowly glances over at his wife. The Queen shrugs;

"I thought maybe _you _wanted to show them." She said. The King nods, then turns his attention back to his daughters, he smiles at them.

"Yes, well..I think maybe, perhaps, it would be better for me to let you two see for yourselves rather than me telling you." King Agdar walks them to one of the side doors of the inner curtain that led up to the curtain wall gallery. "Come. Let's see them."

The curtain wall of the main eastern front of the castle wasn't the tallest wall of the castle, but tall enough to where one would just be able to tell who was coming over yonder on the other side of the bridge that joined the castle to the town. It was probably about a near thirty-eight feet high, whereas the western wall was towering around an estimable sixty feet up. When the royal family finally did get up on the high curtain gallery, the view was as expected; one could see the town from up here and the port. If they had really good vision, they could spot the Sorlie's Olde Pub and the barber shop right beside the market vendors.

"Whoa...look, there's some people crossing over the bridge." Anna observed, she looked up at her mother who simply smiled at her.

"Who are they?" Princess Elsa started to get curious. Her vision was brilliant, but she couldn't really make out whoever was coming; just a group of nobles it looked like. Actually, it might have been royal party judging from the way the man in the front was dressed; he looked like a king.

"Hm—you'll see in a moment." King Agdar put a hand on Elsa's shoulder.

Now, another familiar custom that was commonplace in Arendelle, though not usually followed most of the time, was the 'raising of the banners'. At the foot of the bridge, or rather, the far side of the bridge on the town-square side, before actually crossing, the visiting party was required to raise their banners and their colours, that is if they were a noble, royalty, merchant, emissary and/or anyone of such importance. Those who were citizens, peasants and common folk, were not actually required to do so, but for those V.I.P.'s it was demanded by civil law. So it was that the Royal Guard and the gate wardens would be able to tell just who it was who needed entrance to the Royal Castle. This information was then rallied to the castle officials which would then be told to the king, who was always well-informed on who was coming for a visit. This system was quite efficient and never truly failed in times of trouble and emergency.

As soon as the visiting crowd had reached the foot of the bridge they knew exactly what to do; raising their banners for the gate wardens and the royal family to view clearly. King Agdar lifted his chin towards them and then looked down at his eldest daughter who was focused on figuring out who they were.

As a part of their studies, both Elsa and Anna were much informed on the many different flags and colours of the various countries of the then-known world; especially, that is, the ones nearby to Arendelle. There were a great variety of countries and royal/noble houses and factions that had their own banners and colours. Elsa was interested most of the times, but it got a bit tricky when it got to the weird-looking ones and the ones that looked alike. The identical ones were really ridiculous, Elsa figured, like: Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Moldova and Andorra, and then there was Australia and New Zealand. However, she had a really good memory, and then, of course, as the Princess Royal of Arendelle, she was obliged to know these things; she will be the **Queen** one day.

This banner was peculiar, however, though Elsa could have sworn she'd seen it at least once in her life...or maybe more times than she could remember. It wasn't actually the banner of a noble or a merchant or anything; no, it was royalty. The banner was in the shape of a squared-shield and had a purple background, on the shield itself were the symbols of this country. Right in the middle was emblazoned the royal symbol of a golden sun with six rays and on both sides of the sun were beautiful light lavender flowers that resembled lotuses. And she could tell that it was indeed a royal banner of arms, although the usual crest had been omitted, but she had a hard time guessing whether this was the banner of the kingdom she thought it was. If it was, then she knew exactly the reason for the visit. Silently, she mutters;

"Corona."


	2. Chapter 2: Prelude to Trouble

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: WOW! This took wayyyy too long, I know! Spare me the embarrassment please, I get enough of that with my fellow peers in my writing club. But anyways**—**psshaww!**—**well, I'm done with this chapter**—**thank goodness! One reason it took so long, just real quick before this note takes too long, is the fact that creating a background connection for both Tangled and Frozen is an extremely laborious and comprehensive task (I don't recommend it being done without much thought or research please). That and what with being sick, occupied in club tournaments (chess, writing, and math), and school...it's too much. I'm sorry it took so long but hey...least I'm done. Next chapter will be much shorter...hopefully.**

Chapter 2: Prelude to Trouble

* * *

"Elsa." Her father suddenly called her, "Have you seen the banner?"

Elsa nods slowly, then looks up at the King.

"They've come for another visit already?" Elsa inquires, confused and curious, "But...why so early?"

King Agdar realizes his daughter's concern, but decides to ease the tension. "Well―it's not just a visit, my dear...you see, uh―"

"Who's coming for a visit?" Anna jumps attentively towards her sister and her father's conversation, "Who's early?"

"Why," King Agdar tries not to spoil the surprise, "―it is your aunt and your uncle."

"Which ones?" Anna tip-toes over and squints towards the party closing towards the gates, "Is it uncle Jorann? And auntie 'hilda?"

"No, Anna." It was the Queen who answered; Jorann and 'hilda were her siblings.

"Then who?"

Princess Elsa gives her sister a bright look just then; that type of look with eyes wide and glistening like the sun. "It's auntie Prymula and uncle Augustus!"

"From Corona?" Anna wants to make sure, Elsa nods; "And they're visiting again? Already?"

By this time, Anna was more confused and bewildered than excited. Looking up at her father, Anna scratches her temple. It was well known to everyone in Arendelle―the visits from the royal family of Corona. What confused the little Princess was the fact that they had come so early―it was in the middle of July; whereas the Coronian royal family usually visited around Lammas Fest or after the first of August. This was indeed very unusual, and the King himself knew just as well.

"Yes-yes." King Agdar nods in a quick manner, as though he's considered it a million times over himself, "It is strange, but we cannot let our curiosities get the best of us. Whatever the reason for their early visit, I'm sure there is a logical explanation. Come now, let us go ask your uncle, shall we?"

The King beckons his family down and back to the courtyard. He leads them towards the wide open gates where they were greeted by their royal relatives from Corona, and their whole royal and noble party. There were a few royal guards there as well wearing the colours of the Corona Royal Sentry: red, black and gold. It wasn't the best of formalities, however, as the King of Corona requested to skip all the usual welcome rituals. Anna was a bit disappointed at this; she always looked forward to the 'Royal Fanfare', as it was called, mainly because of the gift-giving presented towards their royal guests. As always, the most prominent delicacies among these gifts was―the chocolate.

"Awww..." Anna whines a little too loudly, "No chocolate."

Elsa shoots a reproving look at her little sister; she puts a hushing finger to her lips.

"Quit it, Anna."

"But―!"

"You already ate. Give it a rest." Elsa interjects in a sharp whisper, she then secretly conjures a bit of snow behind her back.

"But, Elsa―!"

Anna was suddenly interrupted when a sudden ball of fluffy snow grazed her face. The snow bits slowly melting on her lips; it was cool and refreshing―like small droplets of dew condensed on a bottle of milk.

"Hey―!" Anna brushes the snow off her face, she begins spitting 'nothing' out of her mouth.

"Ssshh! Ssh-sh-sh!" Elsa tried to keep from giggling too loudly, "There, that ought to cool your appetite. Now quit your whining, you're a Princess!"

It took a few minutes, but King Agdar was, by now, finished greeting all the members of the Royal Party of Corona; some of the formalities, of course, were left out.

King Augustus and Queen Prymula were always a familiar sight to the Princesses of Arendelle, and soon both girls were skipping over in an excited fancy towards their aunt and uncle. Well...they weren't really their aunt and uncle in so much as common relation was concerned, no, it was a little bit more complicated than that.

The two Royal houses were close, really close; how close, we still wonder. Many believed, as those who were close to the Royal Family on both sides, that the connection between both houses was a well-kept supposition never really explained thoroughly. The family relationship between the two royal houses of Arendelle and Corona go back one generation, so goes the idea, and thus started with King Jormund. You see, King Jormund was (still is) the King of Harlindallr, a royal kingdom northeast of Arendelle. King Jormund took for his bride the Princess Hertha of Nordunn, one of the Kingdoms of the Pole up further north, and from this union came forth the royal siblings of Harlindallr: Princess Royal Ithunn, Prince Jorann(Heir Apparent), and Princess Brunhilde. King Jormund was also the stepson of a certain Duchess of Pomeralia whose daughter, Louisa, was a joint Duchess of both the Houses of Pomeralia and Pomerania. Duchess Louisa, soon to marry her way into the Royal House of Prussia, had a daughter named Prymula. And there is the supposed opinion by some: that it was King Jormund who adopted the young Prymula, for reasons still unknown, to be his own temporary daughter, and both Ithunn and Prymula became royal sisters ever since. In any case, in relation to the King and Queen of Corona, Elsa and Anna had always considered them their aunt and uncle.

"Ah!" King Augustus, always known to be a big, tall man, wraps his arms around both Elsa and Anna, "How are you both? My goodness, you two get bigger every time we come for a visit. Isn't that right, Prymula?"

The Queen of Corona smiles and nods as she watches her husband lift both Princesses off the ground to hug them even tighter. It was effortless for the King of Corona to do so, and it had turned into quite a custom with each visit. Elsa and Anna did not seem to mind however; both giggled and rubbed the huge King's dark brown beard in a playful manner.

"Augustus!" Queen Prymula goes over and protests her husband's 'over-embracing', "You're going to suffocate them, that's enough!"

King Augustus goes ahead and tries to let loose both girls so that his wife could give them her soft, plushy hugs. But Anna, lingering on her uncle a bit longer to stroke his beard again, finally asks the question that everyone had been thinking;

"Uncle Augustus?"

"Yes, dear."

"Why did you and auntie Prymula come so early to visit?"

EVERYONE―literally everyone―fell silent. The quiet awkwardness could be equated to the atmosphere of a funeral, and it seemed as if every person there, but Anna, knew about the whole matter.

"Ahh―" King Augustus leaves his mouth open in a lingering manner; he casts a glance at King Agdar who returns a subtle shake of the head. "Well―uh...you see, Anna, there's two things. Firstly, we missed you all!"

King Agdar, along with a few others, sigh in relief as a big smile pops up on Augustus's face. Anna seemed to be content with the first reason, but was still a bit curious about the whole matter. The little Princess giggles along with her uncle, who was all roaring with laughter, and then waited for the second reason.

Even some of the Coronians had begun laughing along with their king just to keep the moment as is. Nobody wanted to encourage curious little Anna into asking the inevitable question a second time. It had been a pain for the Royal Party of Corona to some so early in the first place; further questionings on their arrival was just a big waste of time. Even Elsa knew that much, and even though she wished she could know more about the whole thing, she was wise not to ask. But not Anna;

"So, what's the second thing?"

King Augustus abruptly fell quiet and stopped laughing—so did the others. He could not help but look into his nieces's face—sincerity like a quiet rose reflected in a mirror; how in the world could he lie about this now? Again, he glances over at the girl's father who was looking on with a sly concern. Anna follows his gaze and looks at her father as well. King Agdar smiles quickly and suddenly as though he knew all was going well. The King of Corona makes a small sound in the back of his throat as if preparing to solve a problem; he looks back at Anna and answers her.

"Uhh...well, dear; it's umm..." King Augustus decides to simply generalize the matter, it was all he could do for a safe excuse, "It's business. I—we have come here to Arendelle..." he makes an ever-so-slight glance at King Agdar again, who nods, "...for business reasons. I have some matters—important matters—to speak with your father about, things concerning the Kingdom. My Kingdom and your father's Kingdom. As for why we have come to visit you all so early; well, let me just tell you that..." he pointedly looks to his wife, "...your aunt, Prymula, couldn't bear to wait a few more months to see you and your sister."

Quietly, Anna turns her head to exchange a loving smile with her beautiful aunt, the Queen of Corona. Then she turns to King Augustus again who gives her an equally gentle smile. Anna was satisfied.

"Okay! That seems legit-i-mate!" Anna says without taking note of the fact that she didn't even really know the meaning of 'legitimate', but since it was a kind of a 'big' word she saw in the encyclopedia in the library one day—she said it just for fun.

With that, and a few more less ungainly formalities, the royal parties moved on towards the entrance of the Castle House. Anna, who never once thought of leaving her big, brown-bearded uncle's neck, was still being held by King Augustus as he walked ahead of the whole party with the Queen of Corona at his side. Queen Ithunn went ahead also beside her sister and started up a neat conversation about the latest fashion in mainland Europe. Only King Agdar strayed behind; Princess Elsa kept by her father and held his hand as they both walked a few ways behind King Augustus.

"Well." Agdar takes a deep breath as if he was ready and expecting more business hereafter. Smiling faintly, he looks down at Elsa;

"That may or may not have gone worse than I expected. It's a good thing we did not bring the chocolates out, hm?"

Elsa makes a soft chuckle and smiles up at her papa. "Anna does like the chocolates."

King Agdar laughs with a closed smile. "Yes. I know. And so do you, my daughter." He then playfully pats Elsa on her head.

Just then, Elsa looks up to see Anna looking over their uncle's broad shoulder and down at her with a funny smirk about her face. It was one of those types of faces that only a sister could tell—a teasing face. Anna suddenly puts her two thumbs behind her ears with her palms and fingers open, then sticks her tongue out in a perfect childish-teasing manner. Elsa just smiles at her, a thin line of disinterest, and squints back. Anna grinned and lifted up her head as if she was on top of the world; being carried by a big man like King Augustus had that effect on one, especially small Princesses. Anna must have felt good about herself.

* * *

It was usual routine then; and the Royal Party of Corona began to adjust for their stay. The whole royal staff of Arendelle were working twice as fast to get the whole castle in complete order and to ready the guests' rooms, drawing rooms, and the main rooms. Since King Agdar was caught completely unaware by this unexpected visit, he had no chance to rush and make preparations to make Arendelle Castle presentable. Now, to make up for lost time, the palace staff were on double duty.

However, what with all the business going on, it was a free day for the two Royal Princesses of Arendelle. Elsa and Anna didn't have to worry about preparing for their studies, finishing their homework, and they absolutely did not have to worry about Madame Hald coming over to tutor them—that was the worst. They were free to do and play as they please. They would've helped their father and mother prepare things, but decided that they would only get in the way of things; besides, their father could handle everything just as well—he always did.

After a short talk with King Augustus about where they would be staying for the duration of their time in Arendelle, King Agdar was busy again and almost everyone in the castle could hear his commanding voice resound throughout the stone-walls of the lobby like a roaring echo bouncing through a rocky cavern. He was here and there and everywhere to make sure order was progressing for preparing for his royal guests.

"Ser Geldring," he called out to one of the royal guardsmen who was standing by the main drawing room doors, "Would you go inform the gate wardens that I want every supplicant who are now approaching the gates that I will only be hearing the ones that are already out waiting in the courtyard! That is only for today!"

The guardsman quickly nodded and rushed off to do what the King had commanded. With that, King Agdar paces through the corridor that led to the main entrance room where some of the leading staff members awaited him. There were also a few visiting nobles there as well.

"Mister Vrie!" He called out the main keep supervisor, "I would ask you to please make sure that the hallways—every single one in this castle—is well lit up!"

"Yes Milord!" Was the immediate reply.

Again, King Agdar rushes out immediately after his orders and into the other room towards the kitchen hall. There were a few of the staff members in the hall already moving things in and out of several rooms like ants carrying out food in the same manner. When the King finally got to the kitchen, he beckoned the Royal Chef over to speak with him. There were a few muffled whispers between the two as the bustling business of maid/menservants rushing to and from the kitchen hall went on, and then the Royal Chef nodded as he began to turn to do the King's bidding, but then the King called out something else;

"Oh...and make it enough for at least twenty people!"

The castle chef thoughtfully considers this for a moment then replies doubtfully; "At least twenty, Milord?"

King Agdar looks puzzled for a minute, and then he lets out a smirking smile.

"You're right, make for more just in case...but remember, make the girls' lunch first!" The King was always concerned about his daughters' appetites, they always seemed to be hungry and lunch was starting up in a few hours. Anyway, it was good to keep little Anna filled up as the King himself very well knew; an empty stomach could be the 'real' trouble behind a troublemaker.

"Will do, Your Highness!"

That sorted out, King Agdar proceeds out of the kitchen to attend to more preparatory business. It was going to be a long day, a very long day at that. Meanwhile, the Royal Chef made his way into the kitchen storage to get the supplies needed for tonight's banquet. There were a group of kitchen helpers there, fine lads who have the semi-fortunate privilege to be working in the castle as helping-aids to the royal chef; and as soon as the chef got to them, his orders were carried out without any hesitation. With the cooking preparations being handled by the kitchen helpers, the chef was free to go and make the royal princesses' lunch. This wouldn't take too long as the castle chef was already familiar with the girls' favorite luncheon usual: open sandwiches with meats, spreads, cheese, butter or jam; that with a pair of nicely decorated raspberry lemonade drinks.

As the castle chef turned towards the private kitchen; a small, neat little kitchen just adjacent to the main kitchen and left of the main hall that led to the lobby, a curious sight popped up on his peripheral. Something scurrying across the room followed by a rushed noise like a silent breeze sneaking up through dry leaves. One ugly and suspicious glance at the direction affirmed the chef's obvious impression towards whatever it was.

"Husshh! Quiet!" A very quiet voice hissed like a mouse, only more boyish, it probably was just an under-grown little boy.

"Let me see!" Another one whispered with a hint of frustration in his voice.

Turns out, it was just a pair of under-grown little boys who were desperately trying to spy out the main hallway to see what was going on. Or so, that was what the castle chef thought. In any case, it wasn't an excuse for kitchen helpers who were supposed to be helping prepare for the big royal dinner.

"YOU TWO!" The chef bellows in a hard-sounding, strict and demanding voice. Both boys shuffle about and spin around as their faces turn from curiously interested to mildly startled and terrified at being caught.

"Well! Would someone like to explain to me why the both of you are not back there helping the others?! Don't you understand the importance of tonight's royal banquet?!"

Both boys kept their mouths shut for a few seconds; it was only until the taller boy was about to speak up that the chef decided to interrupt.

"Or—were we too busy spying around to see if we can peek into the royal family's business?"

"No sir..." the shorter boy with fair, black hair answered, "Listen sir, we were just—"

"Doing nothing!" The castle chef blurted out impatiently.

"Well...that too, but—"

"And _spying_!"

By this time, the short, adamant young lad was defiantly tightening his lips. With a hard look up towards the chef, he muttered;

"Not spying..."

The chef noticed this and stepped forward, never once taking his eyes off the boy.

"What?" He bent down towards him, "What did you say?"

"Ah, listen mister chef, sir.." the taller boy said, desperate to escape any further trouble, "..we didn't mean to uhh...spy around and all, so if you don't mind, my friend and I will get to work now!" He ended with a nervous chuckle.

"Well lad, you mind telling me what's on your mind?"

The boy opened his mouth to speak...

* * *

"Ain't fair, I say!"

The two kitchen boys were now on their way to take out two wheelbarrows of foul-smelling trash. It wasn't the best job, and in fact, it was the worst, most-disgusting job for a kitchen helper. Still, it was better than being fired altogether.

"Ain't fair?" The taller boy looked at his companion with a light scowl, "You're the one we who's to blame for all this. If it weren't for your stupid, slightly insubordinate speech, we wouldn't be in this mess! Two weeks of scrapping up revolting garbage, it's rubbish!"

"My speech was not stupid!" The shorter boy protested as he pushed the trash in a faster manner, "And it's not my fault!"

"You insulted the man!"

"I called him a '_toad-brained lout.' _How is that insulting?"

"'How is that insult—'" The tall boy was now so frustrated by his friend's conceited attitude that he had to pause for a moment. Only when he calmed down a bit and they had reached the dung cart did he speak up.

"James! You're very insulting! What you told the castle chef was very insulting!"

James, who was about to throw his mound of trash in the cart, slowly turned to eye his friend. Lightly, and without a care in the world, he smiled.

"Not really," he said, heaved his trash into the cart, and continued, "You see Jurek, I'm what you would call a 'sharp-wit'. It just seems like I'm insulting, but really, I'm just being—"

"A smart a—" Jurek's remark was interrupted by the dung-cart driver who was impatiently waiting in the front.

"Hey you two! Ya done back there!? I've got more trash and dung to collect—buckets and mountainfuls of 'em—so if ya don't mind, hurry it up!" He said rather rashly. The man was already having a bad day, but who could blame him—he was a dung/trash driver, a very miserable occupation.

Jurek hurriedly dumped his share in, and the smell from the trash mixed in with all that other rubbish was so sickening that both boys nearly fell back with nausea. The driver spit to the side and then drove off in a hurry.

Minutes later, both boys were leisurely frisking around in their favorite break-time spot. It was there just below, a little bit by the side, of the main bridge that connected Arendelle castle to the central town; in a small stony, dry piece of land, that the two lads spent their free time.

"You know.." young James was whittling what looked like a boomerang; the cool wind blowing his fair, wavy, black hair in strands across his forehead, "I'd like to see what that chef would think if he knew what we're _really_ made of."

With that, James took an apple from out his trouser-pocket, threw it up real high into the air, and then, in a very well-calculated manner, hurled the wooden boomerang at it. The apple was sliced completely and perfectly in half. The two apple slices fell into both Jurek's and James's hands each as James retrieved his returning boomerang. James smiled snobbishly at Jurek.

"Hmpf! So you can whittle." Jurek rolled his eyes as he bit into the apple-slice. James shrugged and bit into his own slice.

"Hey, at least we know what's going on in the castle," James said, "We can tell the Master Teller tonight. And—" James grinned at Jurek as if he'd been given a promotion, "—we're off tomorrow!"

"Ah! Thank goodness! I'm so tired of playing kitchen helper!" Jurek complained mockingly. Turns out, both boys _were_ actually spies.

* * *

For a few minutes after she had eaten, Princess Elsa was in deep, serious thought. The events of the day seemed all too much of a puzzle for her. Sure, her aunt's and uncle's visit came as a complete surprise for her, but that wasn't just it; there was also her dream earlier before she woke up, or was woken up, that somewhat bothered her. It was a really strange dream...really weird too. Anyhow, back to the matter of her royal Coronian relatives' visit, there had to be something else besides the 'usual' for why they had come so early. She knew about Rapunzel, their cousin, the one who had supposedly been abducted by some old witch soon after she was born. Her father told her that bit soon after her seventh birthday. Anna was not told though, as much as she did want to tell her, both their father and mother thought it best to keep that information from her. Elsa, however, wasn't sure what the 'real' business was all about, but she knew she had to find out.

"Elsa?" Anna called her, the curious look in her eyes seemed concerned.

"Huh?" Elsa shook her thoughts off and regarded her sister, "What is it, Anna?" As she stared at her sister, and the air of worry on her face, Elsa actually thought that her little sister might be concerned and understanding of her reflections.

"Oh nothing," Anna said, "I was just wondering if you were gonna eat your last sandwich. The cheese might get cold and I—"

"Here. Just take it."

Anna pranced away like a small doe, naively waving the half-sandwich in the air and leaving Elsa in deep thought again. It didn't matter, Elsa liked to think. she wasn't really sure whether to talk to Anna about her feelings; to pour out whatever she felt needed to be brought out. Anna was still only five though, and she wasn't too serious about things that involved much...thought. Her little sister was young; she wouldn't understand.

"Hey Elsa!" Anna plopped down on a chair right next to her sister, her words muffled by the sound of her chewing. Elsa sighs softly and looks at her sister.

"Can I..mmrp...ask you..mmm...something?" Anna asked, her mouth still filled with food.

"Anna, please finish chewing first."

"Mmm-kay!"

A few moments of awkward silence, and then Anna took up her voice again.

"Wanna do something fun?" A slight and ever-growing grin emerges on Anna's adventurous face. Elsa knew that look all too well.

"Fun?"

"Yeah! I'm bored, Elsa!" Anna makes exaggerated motions with her arms, "We've been stuck in this library all day!"

"A few hours you mean?" Elsa brought her smile up to the right.

"We've been stuck in the castle all day too!"

"Anna, we're Princesses." Elsa explained, though she herself doubted etiquette's terms in her own way, "We have no choice, but to...stay here and follow the rules..." She said that last part with disdain and a hint of disgust.

"But Elsa..." Anna resorts to a whining fit, "I am so bored!"

"Then let's..." Elsa gets up to retrieved the chess board; it was the one favorite thing she loved to play, but mainly just to stimulate her mind. "Play some chess?"

"Chess?" Anna scowled a little. Elsa smiled and nodded her head excitedly.

"I don't wanna play chess!" Anna whined and leaned back on her chair so far that Elsa thought she might fall. "You always beat me! And you don't like to play by my rules!"

Elsa frowned disappointed; as much as she loved to play chess, she forgot how much Anna disliked being beaten—in any game! Then again, Anna sometimes made up her own games; for her own advantages that is.

"Then what do you want to do?" Elsa asked putting the chess board aside. Anna sat up in attention at that instant, the same smile as before popping up on her face with twice the enthusiasm.

"Hmm...well—?" Anna tried to keep herself together.

Elsa sighs in faint annoyance; she knew Anna was thinking up something outrageous and ridiculous, something that would probably get them into trouble...like last time. Whatever it was, she also knew that listening to anything her little sister had to say was the only way to keep her entertained.

"Well what?"

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" Anna's smile grew bigger in an instant.

Elsa just stared at her, but she wasn't bugged—no, in fact, she was thinking about it.

"Build a snowman?" Elsa's eyes became two shiny beams of sunshine. _'Do I want to build a snowman?' _She asked herself momentarily.

"Mmhm." Anna nodded.

"I—" Elsa felt a smile coming up, but then thought better about it. "Anna...we can't."

Anna's excitement came to a stop, her thrill bent down like a puppy who's been ignored something.

"Why not? We have nothing else to do?" She said slowly, still looking for hope. Elsa shook her head adamantly.

"Anna, our father gave specific commands as to what we can and cannot do. He left me in charge of you, and I...well, as much as I'd want to, I can't allow this library to be littered and in a mess just for the sake of our fun. I'm sorry, but you remember what happened last time. You don't want to get in trouble again now do you?"

"Nooo..." Anna nodded in agreement and in slight disappointment.

"Good...because, I don't either." Elsa says with a sigh; she was disappointed too. Believe it or not, she had to admit to the fact that she herself was just as bored as her sister. But what else could they do? They were told to stay in the library, and if they wanted to go somewhere else or do something else they had to tell Allyson, one of the chambermaids who was assigned to watch over them. As she thought about it, the young lady was just outside the library somewhere posting her watch. What could they do, go to the Grand Gallery perhaps?

The last time she and Anna were playing in the gallery, it didn't go fairly well. In fact, all their raucous fun had caused quite a great deal of damage to portions of the gallery. Anna wanted to play hide-and-go-seek at first, but as Elsa was always forced to go 'easy' on her the game soon ended with new ambitions in mind. Then after awhile, they decided to play tag, and that alone caused damage to two antiques. The worst part came when Anna wanted to play '_catch-the-snowflake_' a little game that Elsa invented as soon as Anna was able to walk—something to keep her busy. She would use her magic to conjure up a flurry of snow and snowflakes, blast it up real high to where it almost touched the ceiling, and the two of them would then try to catch as much snowflakes as possible using their dress, hands, mouth, hair or anything they could find. The object of the game, of course, was to see who could catch more snowflakes before they all fell on the ground and melted. It wasn't a real good game, because neither of them could really tell how many snowflakes they caught as it didn't take long for the snow to melt after it had landed.

Anyhow, they were in the middle of the game, running around and giggling like little trolls, when Anna suddenly fell back with a small shriek. Turns out, she had hit a miniature statue of Alexander the Great—some Greek leader—and it fell off nearly shattering. Elsa was worried more about her sister than Alexander and quickly came to her aid. Fortunately, Anna suffered only a slight bruise on her left elbow, but as for Alexander—he'd lost his head. The two of them watched in silent horror as the marble head rolled eagerly over the floor like a wheel let loose on a hill. The fact that Elsa's magic had caused the floor to ice a little, plus all the wet snow melting on the ground, did not help to slow it down one bit.

"Elsa do something!" Anna had yelled out as the head rolled faster and faster _towards_ a vase reliquary. But what could she do? She thought she could summon a mound of snow in front of it to maybe slow it down somehow. So she did. And...that did not work...at all. It made it worse, in effect; as the small head rolled up the mound and shot up even faster through the air and...hit Michelangelo's _'David'_ straight on the crotch.

"Uh-oh." Elsa had uttered under her breath as the statue tilted and fell back slowly like a freshly-cut-down pine tree, and for a moment everything was still. And then, David crashed down on one of the glass cases behind it; barely slamming down on the hilt of the broadsword in that case with its head, causing the sword to catapult forward, spinning towards the both of them.

Elsa shouted to Anna and the two gave a shriek as they hurriedly ducked down. The sword flew above them with a spin. At that exact moment, Gerda, the main _Groðkona _(meaning serving-maid) of the castle, was just opening the door to the gallery to give the Princesses their lunch, when suddenly—

*FTHWANG!* "HAA—OH MY!" Gerda cried out in frightened terror, dropping their lunch all over the floor—all in a great collage of sounds. The broadsword had struck a painting—a portrait of Napoleon I (the one by Jean Ingres) sitting on his throne, and inches from Gerda's head.

Elsa and Anna had turned to see the panic on Gerda's face...they were in big trouble alright; the poor maid had nearly been killed! It was all their fault—her fault... But she remembered just standing there (Anna standing close behind her) with her mouth open in shock and guilt. She shuddered with having to relive that misfortune once again. In addition, they had been grounded to their rooms for two weeks and were restricted and forbidden by their father to ever go near the Grand Gallery until they had learned their lesson and behaved more properly. It had been a month since then, and Elsa and her sister did not want to risk such trouble once more.

Now that she thought about it...she never really liked that painting of Napoleon anyways—she hated Napoleon!

Just as soon as Elsa finished that thought, trouble knocked on the door again. She turned to see where Anna was—Anna was gone! But where? Hide-and-go-seek most likely?

_'Oh no, it's happening again.' _Elsa thought as she scurried around the library looking for her sister. _'Where could she be?' _

And then she heard the door open in a swift and sly motion. Elsa quickly paces over to the slightly open door. She had that feeling that someone had been there—someone had gone out. Anna must have snuck out.

"Anna." Elsa called out, her voice full of apprehension. "Anna?" She then creaked the door open, expecting Allyson to stamp in at any minute.

When she didn't see the chambermaid anywhere in sight, Elsa slipped out the library and silently ran past the corridor that led to the Dining Hall. It was then that she saw Anna running across the hall in a sneaky manner.

"Anna!" Elsa called to her, but keeping her voice at a low, harsh whisper. Anna didn't answer, she just proceeded into the kitchen hall. She probably didn't hear her. "Anna!" Elsa cried out again, but in a miserably impatient tone. Then she hurried to catch up with her troublesome sister; it didn't take too long and when Elsa was just a few feet behind her, she grabbed her by the collar.

"Anna! What are you doing?!" Elsa was quite irritated by now. Anna, looking afraid at first for fear of being discovered by one of the chambermaids, paused with a shaky posture. Turning to Elsa, she let out a a sigh of relief.

"Oh! Elsa, it's just you, I thought someone—"

"Hussshhh!" Elsa put a finger to her lips; Anna was too loud for everybody to hear. "What are you doing? We're supposed to stay in the library! I thought you said you didn't want to get into trouble again?"

"I don't. But...I was just..." Anna's eyes now seemed like two distant moons reflecting the heat of the sun; Elsa began to feel guilty about talking so harshly, "...I was going to go get a glass of water."

Elsa looked at her sister, she was still annoyed, but thought it could pass. Sighing in silence, she nodded with a half-smile. "Hurry up."

Anna gleamed with a grin as wide as a rainbow. Turning in an instant, she paced over to the kitchen. Elsa followed behind her sister, constantly looking out for anyone who might catch them. When they finally got to the kitchen entrance, which was surprisingly empty, Anna momentarily turned her head as if listening to something. Elsa looked down the corridor that led to the Great Hall.

"What is it?" Elsa asked, although she had a good guess that it was probably just the common hearing, or 'Felles Bønn' (such as the court-people called it) conducted as part of their father's daily royal routine. The common people all over Arendelle would come to court just to plead their cases before the King. It was a big hearing, usually, and the whole castle would be in a bustle for a few days; but today was an exception. Elsa still couldn't see how her father could deal with so many people, but that's one of the reasons why she admired him so much—he worked hard.

"There's something happening over there!" Anna whispered rather loudly, her eyes all wide and gleaming. She starts to walk over.

"It's just 'court-stuff' Anna! Don't worry about it! Let father do his work; he's really busy today." Elsa explained grabbing Anna by the shoulders to turn her back towards the kitchen, "Now, hurry up and get your water before somebody catches us."

"Okay, okay!" Anna says hesitantly. They both enter the kitchen, Anna pacing ahead to retrieve a glass from one of the cupboards, and Elsa helped her pour the water from one of the big water jars. Anna gulps down her glass, Elsa closes and returns the jar back to its place, and the two of them sneak back into the entryway carefully. As Elsa closes the kitchen door, cautiously trying to make sure it doesn't creak or make a sound, Anna runs behind her with a skip.

"Psht! Anna!" Elsa felt like shouting, but instead hissed loudly. Anna was running across the hall towards the Great Hall. "Where are you going?"

Anna puts a finger to her lips and beckons Elsa to come on waving her hand. Elsa pauses for a moment, she really hated being the older, responsible sister. It took a few seconds later for her to make up her mind and join Anna.

"Anna, we can't—we're not supposed to be out here, there's a reason why father left us at the library and told us to _stay _there!"

"But why can't we just..." Anna stopped just a few feet short of the left-wing entrance door to the Hall, "...watch what's going on?"

"Because—" Elsa turns Anna around so they both face each other, although Anna's face was clearly still bound the other way, "..it's none of our business. There's a reason why father doesn't let us stay to watch all the time."

"Why?" Anna asks. Elsa sighs.

"Because...I...I don't know, but we can't stay here. Let's go do something."

"Do what? I wanna watch." Anna then tries to turn and goes to open the door.

"Anna—" Elsa was going to turn Anna again, but her little sister did just that;

"Please Elsa! It'll only be for a few minutes, I promise! And..." Anna puts a challenging finger up to Elsa's face, "You have to come with me."

"Why?" Elsa asked, although she most definitely was _NOT_ going to go along with her. Anna made an exaggerated pout and then smiled.

"You built Olaf in your dream without me, remember." Anna looked at Elsa with a face of a newborn babe, Elsa thought about it for a minute.

"Anna, that was a dream." Elsa answers with a slow sigh; all this arguing was wearing her out, "People can't control their dreams."

"Yes they can." Said Anna, nodding her head to emphasize that fact. Elsa didn't even have the patience to smirk.

"No. They cannot."

"Uhuh! They can too!"

"Anna—."

"You have to come watch with me!" Anna looked pretty determined now. Elsa was in no mood for such games right then and there; she gave her sister a stare like the moon—blank and constant, yet regal and glowing.

"I don't have to go anywhere. I'm not going to go watch with you because we don't want to get in trouble like last time, it's that simple. And besides...you got your water, let's go back to the library and read some more books." Elsa turned to go back expecting Anna to dutifully follow her.

But that did not happen...instead, trouble was the one standing behind her.

"Anna, when we get back to the library, I want to show you something in that book we read last—" Elsa turns, she was already past the kitchen corridor and was reluctant to get back to the library before any of the maids got around, but Anna...wasn't there.

"Anna?"

Elsa suddenly realized the horrible mistake she'd made. Why didn't she make sure Anna was behind her? She probably ran off—sneaked back towards the Great Hall. In any case, she knew she was in for it—the both of them were most definitely in big trouble. With another sigh, this one more desperate, Elsa frantically ran back towards the Hall to find Anna before she could get herself—both of them—into trouble.

* * *

**The relation between the Royal Houses of Arendelle and Corona that I wrote (practically invented) here took tremendous...huge amounts of thought. I've always wanted to make a connection between the two, but just so you know**—**with respects to the canon of Frozen and Tangled**—**it's not something I just made up to just do it. The family ties are really just there simply to lay out the carpet for the plot in my fic, if for any reason at all.**

**Notes: Pomeralia and Pomerania are just basically historical regions in Poland. Do some research**—**some careful digging**—**and you'll know why I chose those two. **

**Also: Harlindallr, Queen Idunn's siblings, names for the King and Queen of Corona...they're all made up. Let's see what else...oh, some of the foreign language insertions in there (and I'll only put a few from time to time so as not to confuse people) they're sort of mixed. Yeah, I wasn't just going to do a straight-up Google Translate Norwegian deal, so I mixed Icelandic, Old Norse, semi-Swedish and other Scandinavian-related languages in there**—**Arendalsk (which is basically a Norwegian dialect) is my main source.**


	3. Chapter 3: 'Small' Blaze

Chapter 3: 'Small' Blaze

* * *

"Thank you, Milord…"

Elsa listened as a man's elderly-sounding voice gave thanks to her father, the King. It wasn't surprising to hear grateful supplicants praising or thanking her father from time to time; she had no doubt that her father was a good king. In her personal opinion, King Agdar was the greatest king who ever ruled Arendelle.

"...and may the gods of the Aesir bless your reign. '_Hagl Gramr.'" _The supplicant finished with complimentary well-wishes.

It was always weird to hear people end their gratitude in this way; Elsa never really understood why some Arendelle citizens referred to the 'gods of the Aesir' anymore, especially the old people. After all, the major religion in Arendelle was Christianity—at least now it was. Her whole family—she didn't know about the rest of the royal staff—but she and her family were professed Christians. Elsa was aware, however, of the historical significance of religion in Arendelle's past. She was well-versed in the family's history and how that, way back in the past, Arendelle was a Viking kingdom. The Vikings of Arendelle, or Arendallr as it was originally called then, were worshipers of the Norse gods of old, the Aesir.

The Aesir were a race of gods who inhabited the ethereal realm of Asgard; that was the definition by what Elsa had read in the book she and Anna found in the library last week. The Aesir included gods like: Odin (leader of the gods), Loki, Baldr, and Heimdallr. Even famous ones like Thor, and Idun—whom her mother was named after.

A few moments later, Elsa could hear the whole court moving again whereas before it had previously been as quiet as the Royal Chapel during service. It seemed as if a new supplicant was being brought in. Elsa couldn't tell too much, she'd been uncomfortably hiding behind one of the big pillars that held the huge ceiling of the Great Hall aloft like marble oak trees. As much as she wanted to, Elsa didn't want to risk peering over the pillar to get a better lookout so that she could find Anna. Or, if for anything else, see what was going on in court.

Finally, her father spoke; and his voice, deep-toned and resounding, made itself known once again, as it had always done in the past, with a kingly air of majesty. It was like hearing the mountain breeze blasting it way from the alps and showering down to cool the sunny villages below.

"Shall we all quiet down!" The Hall falls silent, "Thank you. Well then, have we any more supplicants that I shall attend to?"

"A few more, my Lord!" Another old man spoke; judging from his aristocratic tone of speaking, Elsa could only guess that this was one of father's boring, old chancellors.

"Alright, how few?" Her father inquired.

A short stirring of the court and a whisper here and there, then the answer; "Eight more, Your Highness."

"Eight? Is that all?" The King asked for surety, "Are you sure?"

"We are certain, Sire!" Another court minister, a rather weak-sounding one, answered.

"Good," said her father, "I'd smile with the knowledge that there is only a few left, but as experience has shown me more than once, a few little matters have the potential to create problems as big as the North Mountain itself."

At that, the whole court burst into a short uproar of laughter. Elsa didn't really get the joke, that is, if it was a joke. She knew her father well, and had always known that whenever her father said something serious in a seemingly joking manner—what he said were serious words nevertheless. Elsa didn't really pause to think about it then, but the her father was actually referring to her and Anna whenever they were causing trouble.

"Kai!" Elsa hears her father call the trusted Royal Steward.

"Yes, Sire!"

"Would you please send the next one in?"

"Right away, Sire!"

"Thank you, Kai!"

It took only a few seconds to get the next supplicants; and the hearing that was about to take place would make a lasting impression on the Princess Elsa for a sure amount of time...

"Your Highness," Kai presents, "Lords Leofric and Otto of the House of Grovengard."

A few shuffling, a movement of the court, and a whisper here and there; and then, the hearing began.

"Welcome," King Agdar says in a joyful, yet kingly tone, "May I ask what it is that troubles you?"

"Your Gracious Highness..." a man begins his speech, and Elsa thought he sounded pretty well-defined. Unlike other nobles she'd met or heard, this man sounded normal and educated. "...I am Otto von Grovengard, and this is my younger brother, Leofric."

In addition, the man's accent had a faint rough slur to it followed by a German-like cadence. Elsa guessed that these men wasn't from around here...

"We are citizens here, Milord..."

...or maybe they were.

"...and nobles from the Southern district of Arendelle. I do not know if you remember, but you appointed our uncle, Lord Peirce Von Grovengard, as the Head Bailiff of the Southern Treasury?"

"Yes-yes, I do..." King Agdar sounded somewhat certain, "I think—Sir Aarnes!" He called to the Master of the Treasury, Marten Aarnes. "Peirce Von Grovengard, isn't he the one—?"

"The one with the shrubbery, MiLord." Sir Aarnes answered.

'_Shrubbery?' _Elsa thought to herself, _'What are they talking about?'_

"Yes! I remember." Elsa heard her father say, "And he was also the one responsible for handling a few of those financial issues involved with the farms down south, yes—a good man your uncle was! What seems to be the problem?"

"Well..uh...you see, Sire—" Lord Otto began, but didn't get to finish;

"Our uncle is missing, Your Highness." His brother, Leofric, interrupted.

There was a short silence at court. Then the stirring, side-discussions, and loud whispering began. It was only when the King spoke again, and the court gradually broke off into silence, that Elsa started to get interested.

"You say your uncle is missing, for how long?"

"Three days, Your Highness." The younger brother answers.

"Three days? Why wait too long? Why did you not inform me at an earlier time?"

"Well, we didn't know it ourselves until..." Leofric broke off with an air of awkward mystery, "—Until our aunt told us the news herself."

"And, when did your aunt tell you your uncle was missing?"

"Yesterday, my Lord." Otto, the older brother, hastily replied.

"Yesterday..." Elsa heard her father repeat it, she knew that when her father repeats something—he was thinking carefully.

"Do you have any knowledge on where he was last? Did your aunt say as much?"

"She mentioned that he was...out on an errand traveling here." Said Otto.

"On an errand? He was on his way here...hmm...there seems to be something...something missing here. Sir Aarnes!" Elsa nearly shook as her father's voice suddenly boomed.

But she couldn't help but wonder what her father was up to.

"Yes, MiLord!" Aarnes replied.

"Do we have the business records from the Southern district?"

"Ah-which ones, MiLord?"

"Yesterday's."

"Mmm...for the ones accounted for...ah—yes! Here is...yesterday's business records for the Southern district! Pardon me, Your Highness, but my papers here tend to get a little bit messy. Here we have it!"

"Good, now read to me the listings for the treasury."

"All of them, Sire?"

"Yes. All of them."

And so, needless to say, Elsa waited there for about five minutes to hear the monotonous humdrum of boring business-related accounts about money, notes, coins, land, finance and so on and so forth. Just then, her father spoke;

"There! Read it again!"

"...having delivered...a significant amount of 500 silver reins...and uhhh...commissioned two lesser bailiffs, Sirs Falkirk and Dromme, to retrieve the following resource earnings: twenty acres of farmland, a number of well-bred fjord horses, a working grain house, and...valuable produce worth 20,000 Kroner."

"Hmm...and ahh...who wrote this entry? Does it say?"

"Lord Grovengard's assistant, Sir Mulle." Sir Aarnes answers. Elsa listens as a few pages turn. "I would like to point out, Your Highness, that is a significant amount of earnings! But I wonder why I didn't get a promissory note of transfer for all this."

"What Marten?" King Agdar sounded puzzled now, "You mean to say that this transaction wasn't completed?"

"I'm afraid not, Sire."

There was a short and still silence as the court seemed dormant for just a minute. Then, just as Elsa was anticipating the apprehension of the matter, one of the court officials spoke;

"Or...unless someone stole those earnings after the transaction was made, then it would be convenient enough for the Head Bailiff, Lord Grovengard, to go missing." Elsa very well knew that voice, that familiar, old, but wise-sounding voice. That was her father's Prime Minister of the Realm, Sir Jonfinn Agnor.

"Yes!" Another court official agreed, "Yes. That would explain the late entry, a-and the kidnapping of the Head Bailiff—!"

"Well!" The King stepped in, "Let's not jump into conclusions just yet. There are still a few pieces missing in this puzzle. However, we must consider the fact that there has been some foul play at work here."

"I would go as far as to say that this 'business' has been going on for quite some time now." Said Sir Jonfinn; Elsa admired the way the Premier always seemed to sound positive and critical at the same time. The man could literally insult you without offending you. "If anything this corrupt has slipped past our noses, not to say that this is the first and only case, we do indeed have a problem with our financial security."

"Well said, Jon!" King Agdar complimented the minister. "I agree with you completely, and trust me—"

Elsa suddenly became aware of the fact that her father's voice doubled in volume.

"—this issue _will_ be dealt with and it _will _come to an end. Now then! Lords Grovengard!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Both men said simultaneously.

"What do you make of this whole...mishap here?"

"Well..." the older one began, "...our uncle...he's missing, Your—"

"Yes. I got that. This note...about your uncle's transactions—written yesterday—what do you make of it?"

For a total of ten seconds, nobody spoke. Elsa had noticed a slightly climactic frustration building up in her father's tone of voice. It was clear that he was not at all pleased. And then, King Agdar spoke;

"I see. Well..." the King's voice echoes, "It seems as if we have reached something here—Kai what time is it?!"

"Ah, a quarter past three, Your Grace."

"Good. I haven't much time, and I've got a big banquet set up for my Royal guests this evening so...we'll dismiss this hearing and I'll have the Royal Sentry investigate the matter further." Said the King.

Silence as thick as the ice itself filled the Great Hall, and a shock of surprise and suspense shot up Elsa's spine. What on earth was happening here?

"My Lord?" It was one of the brothers who said it, "I don't understand. Our uncle is—"

"Missing! Yes!" Elsa could hear her father stand up from his chair, "Yes, I've heard twice already! But I must be about my business, and this session has taken too long. Now the rest of the supplicants will have to wait until tomorrow. Kai!"

"Yes, Sire!" Kai calls back as you could hear him pacing over quickly towards the scene.

It was at this point that Elsa knew she couldn't hold back any longer. With all the unexpected action going on, how could she not look and see what was up? Besides her father was acting like someone she'd never even known before—he was doing something she'd never seen him do. What was he doing? Being a King? If so, it was this Kingly side of him she had never ever seen before or dreamed of ever seeing. With cautious wariness, Princess Elsa peeks over from behind the pillar and observed the event at hand.

There was her father, as she assumed, standing up as tall and lord-like as ever; and there were the two men—the nobles from the south!

"Uh..Y-Your Highness—" It was the tall, slim one with thick brown hair—the older brother, Otto, presumably—who stuttered his words like a cackling crow, "I-I-I...we don't un-understand...what is the meaning of—"

"Kai, would you please escort Lord Otto here, and his younger brother, to one of our most comfortable rooms?"

"Your Highness, we do not mean to stay here," said the shorter one, Lord Leofric, who had a very untidy mustache sitting under his nose, "We-we.."

"Oh yes, I know you don't. But you'll stay nevertheless." Elsa saw the immediate ice, stiff and stern, on her father's face. His eyes told it all—he knew something nobody else knew, or at least what she didn't know herself.

"Which rooms shall I escort them to, Sire?" Kai stood at the ready, as always.

"Hmm...let's see...the ones under the basement."

"The...dungeons, Sire?" Kai had one look of strange curiosity on his face. The two strangers hardly moved a muscle, Elsa presumed that they had been scared out of their wits.

"Precisely!" Elsa saw her father, the King, give one quick nod and the Royal Guards—four of them—came over beside Kai to take both men away. Kai immediately became aware of the situation, replied to the King with a strict nod, and hurried away with both men in the guards' custody. It all happened really fast.

Elsa couldn't have been more puzzled then. All she could really think of was how on earth her father could punish those men so quickly and so rashly. He barely had any evidence against them...or did he even have any evidence at all? It was horrifying. But then again, her father had his purposes and he had his reasons. It seemed as if some of the court people there agreed with her as well, they all still looked surprised.

"Oh, don't you all look at me like that. Those men were criminals!" Her father said with a stiff smirk. Prime Minister, Sir Jonfinn, who was standing by his side, nodded in agreement, but looked amazed just as well.

"But, Your Grace—" one of the court members began, "—how could you tell? We hardly had anything against those men, or any men rather. They were the nephews of Lord Grovengard, were they not?"

"Yes. So they said." Another official agreed. The loud whispers began again.

"Well they could have been lying!" One man cried out loud.

"Yes, they could have! All strangers to Arendelle are enemies to the country!" Another agreed with the latter.

"They weren't strangers, they were citizens here." An elderly councilman replied with half the sarcasm.

Elsa looked to her father who wasn't really doing anything. He just seemed to be standing there, well he was standing there...but he was thinking about something. He looked tensed, like a branch ready to snap, but instead...he just breathed in and smiled. Elsa was dumbfounded, but how could her father dismiss something that important and not look dumbfounded himself? King Agdar, as she knew him, was a man of principle, but this time it seems as if he was going against every principle he ever believed in.

"Yes! Yes!" Her father finally shut everyone up, "You're all very good at guessing! And you are all probably right, but you're all missing the evidence. As am I."

The court stayed quiet again; this time for the last time.

"And, until I have the evidence...those men are in my custody. Don't worry, they'll be treated proper. But as your King, trust me when I say that you can never trust men like that. That is all. Court is dismissed!"

And just like that, everyone stood up without another word. As Elsa looked around, she just realized how easily she could have been seen with everyone now moving all over the place. But before she could get back to her place behind the pillar, and maybe leave the Great Hall altogether, she saw something she wished she hadn't seen. Nope, it was someone. It was Anna...

"An—!" Elsa momentarily caught herself; and in good time, one of the Royal Guards just walked past the pillar she was scurrying behind.

'_How am I gonna get Anna?' _Elsa thought about it in distress, _'There's so many people!'_

However, with just enough courage and determination, Elsa decided to look back to see if her sister was still there. She was, and very well hidden herself. Anna was standing undercover behind a narrow table that was right in between two Royal Guards. Elsa wondered how in the dead of night Anna got all the way in the back of the Hall with the hearings going on. In any case, Anna wasn't just here to watch, she was also here for the chocolate.

With a hasty air of desperation, Princess Elsa took it upon herself to try and get Anna in any way possible. That was not so easy, as Anna was oh-so-many feet away from her, but she had to do it. Now with all the action over and done with, it was harder for her to move from one pillar to another to get to where Anna was. After a few minutes though, slyly maneuvering herself, Elsa finally reached her little sister.

"Anna! Psst! Here now!" Elsa whispered, not so loud that everyone could hear, but loud enough. Anna did not even bother to try to turn around, but was very successful in sneaking a chocolate-fudge-filled Danish pie from the table full of guest desserts.

"A-Anna!" Elsa was calling out loud now...just a little bit.

Anna, who was busy gobbling down half of that pie, just happened to turn and see her from where she stood. Elsa was growing so impatient now that it became apparent how angry at Anna she was. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the big grin on her little sister's face, Elsa sneakily crouched over towards her.

"Anna. We need to get back to the library. Now." She said, slowly and calmly yet her tone was breathy. Anna couldn't really speak, well, not yet. Elsa waited for her to finish chewing and swallowing the pie...it didn't help to really watch.

"Okay! I—" Anna was about to let the whole world know they were right there sneaking behind a dessert table, but Elsa put a hand to shut her mouth in time. One of the guards slowly turned his head...but then just coughed.

"Anna, we have to go." Elsa whispered even more quietly as she gripped her sister's left hand; the one with sticky chocolate fudge on it.

"Okay." Anna nodded, whispering this time.

Elsa seemed happy about it, and as she turned to sneak both she and her sister out the Great Hall she felt Anna tug for just a moment. It only took a moment for trouble to happen.

"Wait, let me..get another chocolate before we—" Anna reached over.

"Anna, no—!" Elsa was going to tug her away but it was...too late.

Anna had her hand on one of the chocolate-fondue sticks and was just about to grab it out of the melting pot she just dipped it in when it all of a sudden tipped over. It was silent trouble—bad luck, really—taking its toll on both Princesses again. Elsa knew there was no stopping this now. The pot of melted, scalding-hot, chocolate fell over with a thud and all of that hot chocolate unfortunately got to the poor Guard who stood there right beside it. The man shouted, no—he shrieked like an elephant in distress, and leaped forward instinctively. The extremely loud exclamation of pain roused the Hall, and everyone there froze instantly.

The next few disasters happened so fast that Elsa knew it had to be some invisible devil behind it all. The guard who got hot chocolate all over his lower back and behind bumped into a sewer who carrying a big platter of food across the Hall who then slipped and fell backwards. The platter of food, which comprised of half-sandwiches and jam, flew through the air towards a number of nobles and officials. One of the half-sandwiches flew into one of the noble's (conveniently, a fat one) wide open mouth, which then caused him to start choking and gagging in a seriously violent manner.

"Oh my goodness! That man is choking!" Another noble pointed out the obvious. The man beside him hastily acted, he ran over to try and help the choking man by constricting his chest in an embracing manner.

When the sandwich was finally coughed out it flew off with tremendous force and struck a small chandelier on the wall. One of the candles fell over and...you can pretty much guess what happened next—

"**FIRE!**" One of the Royal Guards again pointed out the obvious.

'_Fire!' _Elsa thought to herself.

"Uh-Oh." Anna muttered in total shock and guilt.

Elsa suddenly felt Anna tug at her sleeve. "Elsa! Do something!" Anna screamed. Elsa's eyes grew bright like a furnace, and she saw how quickly the fire spread over the wall and now it was climbing down towards the floor. Instinctively, Princess Elsa did what she had always done in case of a fire emergency. Hurriedly and without any hesitation, Elsa found the spot on which the fire burned and drew up her arms to cast a bolt of ice or frost or something, but then—

"ELSA!" Her father suddenly grabbed her arms just before she could work any magic, "No! No. Go and get your sister out of here—NOW!"

Elsa took one swift look into her father's face, saw the stern seriousness there, and decided it was time to get out. Grabbing Anna, she ran out of the Hall in more than a hurry, despite Anna's desperate pleas to stop for a break. When they finally made it back to their rooms, Elsa plopped down on the bed, let out a long and terrible sigh, then closed her eyes. It all happened so fast, she thought, putting her arms over her face.

"Elsa." Anna called to her just then in an anxiously worried voice. Elsa took another breath, she couldn't take anymore of this.

"What Anna?"

"You think we're in trouble again?"

Elsa looked back at her little sister. Anna looked sincere, but it was surprising at how naive she was. It didn't matter.

"Anna..." Elsa's voice trailed off, "I think we should've just built a snowman."

* * *

"How long, you think, does it possibly take to hear a case for two people?" A short peasant man complained.

"Don't know. But I do know one thing," said his fellow, another short male, "—those two don't belong 'round here. Not southern men like that!" With that remark, both men spat to the ground.

It was a little bit past three now, and the remaining six supplicants—a very short remnant of the thirty-two who were in line to be there—still awaited, with growing impatience, for the King. These six were an interesting few: 4 peasant men, a butcher's widow, and a tall boy who carried a journal and a satchel with him.

Of the six of them, the only two who were really quiet were the boy and the widow—well, the woman was asleep. The young boy, a lad with thick, black, fair-straight hair, stood silently by. He was an observant lad, but tended to look like he was minding his own business; a hushed raven, a still witness to whatever he saw or heard. He seemed aware now, however, not because he'd been waiting there himself for what seemed like...forever, but because these men in front of him seemed too rude to know their place. In all honesty, he was more interested in those two noblemen these men were talking about even though they did seem a little...suspicious.

He did wonder why it was taking too long though...

"Come on! What's taking so long!?" The same man earlier spat again.

The young lad, having a high sense of respect and loyalty for the 'Royalty' and the royal ground on which they spat on, had enough of it—these rude fellows. Breaking through the bubble of muteness that covered him from the scene, the boy spoke;

"You know, you shouldn't be spitting on the courtyard floor." All eyes suddenly turned to him—hard penetrating eyes like those of a group wild cats, "I mean, this _'is' _the Royal Courtyard..."

Two of the men started to walk over towards him.

"...a-and, it's the Royal Castle." He gulped, "..with Royal...Guards."

"Who are you, boy?" A short, heavy-set man interrogated him, "Hadn't been speaking this whole time, so who are you?"

"Yeah. What's your name." Another man said in a slow, rough and breathy fashion.

"Ah-I...uhh...umm...I—" He stuttered and stammered, then momentarily found his voice and stood high, "Well, I-I am...Erik—"

"Erik who?" Another man snickered.

"Erik, uh, Christensen."

"Well...Erik...Christensen!" The man closest to him moved closer still, "Who are you to tell us where to spit or where not to?"

"You look a little bit too well-dressed for your lot, boy." The fourth man spoke up, distantly eyeing his sateen trousers, velvet waistcoat, linen shirt, and woolen overcoat. "You from the south too?"

"From the south?" Erik looked down and examined his clothes; they were one of his last sets of clothes—a gift from his uncle, "What, no! No, I'm just..."

"A rich lad!" The man closest to him, now heavily breathing on him, exclaimed.

"A nobody." Another added.

Just then, the doors to the castle keep—the Great Hall—opened momentarily...then it closed. A man came out, a big short man, with six of the Royal Guards behind him. This must be Sir Kai, the young boy who was being harassed thought' he'd been told about the Royal Steward on more than one occasion.

"The King sends his deepest apologies, good citizens, but he has called off the 'Felles Bønn' until tomorrow." Sir Kai announced.

The butcher's widow was awake now, and the other peasant men were crying out in anger. It nearly got very violent, but the Royal Guards stood there with their swords and their pikes.

"But we've been waiting all day!" A big man growled.

"And I have mouths to feed!" The widow started wailing.

"We want to see His Royal Highness!"

The Royal Guards looked to Sir Kai who was just standing there staring at everyone for a minute. He really looked sorry, but that was no justification for all the turmoil these people were purposely causing. Then, Sir Kai moved down to personally address them all eye-to-eye.

"You've been waiting here all day, you say? I'm sorry..I truly am, I am sorry." He told them, "But—"

"But we've been waiting out here the _whole_ day!" One of the other men grumbled loudly.

"Yes. And we deserve to—!" Another started, but Sir Kai had had enough of it;

"The King! Has heard cases **ALL** day long himself! He has sent me out here to personally write down your names so that he'll know who he is to attend to first thing in the morning. So, if you cannot consider that fact, then I wish you good riddance!"

They were all hushed up then, and Sir Kai never kept his eyes off of them. One of the peasant men nodded and sighed. "So, you'll make sure we're the first ones tomorrow then?" He said.

Sir Kai's face had only an expression of indifference. "Yes. Of course."

The lead man turned back and nodded to his fellows, but as they all turned to leave, he said one more thing;

"We had better have it tomorrow." He then spat on the ground. Kai furrowed his brows, then reproved him;

"You know this courtyard takes a lot of work to clean. The next time you spit on these grounds, I'll have His Most Royal Majesty know of it and it'll be the last time you set foot here. That, sir, is a complete violation of the law on grounds of contumacy."

The man looked back to Sir Kai, a look of uneasy apprehension on his face, and he reached into his breeches-pocket to take out a piece of cloth—a handkerchief. Stooping down, he wiped the courtyard floor clean of his spittle.

"Thank you very much, and again," Sir Kai's stern expression never faded, "The King sends his apologies."

The men give their final grimaces, then set off out the gate in a hurry. Erik looked back and turned to see the widow wiping her tears; then with a horrible sigh that sounded as if she'd caught a cold, the lady scampered off with the rest.

"Staying for a bit, lad?" Sir Kai put a hand on Erik's shoulder; the boy smiled back.

"No, sir..." He then looked back towards the gate, "I don't think those men understand the meaning of 'contumacy.'"

"Oh no, I doubt that they do." Erik found the Royal Steward's face and tone of voice much less strict, instead the man looked quite weary, "But...it does sound a lot better than if I had said that they had committed 'treason' now does it?" The man smiled down at him; he nodded back.

"What's your name son?"

"Erik...Christensen." The boy answered slowly.

"And how old are you?"

"Fifteen, Sir."

"What's a boy of fifteen doing here alone? Do you have a family or, pardon me, a family issue?" Sir Kai seemed curiously interested, "Your mother or father?"

"No, sir. I uhh...my mam and dad are back home."

"And...where is home?"

"I'm from Denmark, sir."

"Oh, I see." Sir Kai regarded the young boy carefully. Erik tried to keep his gaze from wandering. "So, are you here all by yourself?"

"Here—? Oh, no sir. I have..uh..an aunt and uncle...here. They're actually from here."

"Well..." Sir Kai took a deep breath, then put both hands on the boy's shoulders, "I'm sorry, you look like a good lad..of the goodliest sorts of lads, and I like you lad. I would let you in to see the King in private, but I don't...I don't think that I could with all the 'drama' that just took place in there." He said that last part in a slight whisper. Then he puffed out the air from his cheeks while his eyes bulged open momentarily in a gesture to emphasize that fact.

_'Drama?' _Erik thought to himself. He wondered what it was. "I understand. Thank you, Sir Kai."

"Why, you're very welcome there young man." Sir Kai patted his shoulder, then nodded to the guards who then opened the gates, "And if you ever need anything, you can always find me here...or sometimes at the Fishmonger's Pub in town," He whispered that last part, "But don't tell anybody."

"Of course, sir." Erik grinned, "Thank you, sir!"

Sir Kai nodded back to him, and with that the Royal Steward swiftly ran back into the castle-keep entrance, into the Great Hall, to resume his royal business...

As Erik walked across the courtyard and back towards the gates, he thought about something. What in the world was he doing here? Sure, he was here to try to make a living, but all he really wanted was to see the Royal Family and have a taste of the court-life here up north. That...and maybe get a permit to start his own printing press.

Then suddenly, as he was about to exit through the gates, he heard a loud outbreak of alarmed shouts and shrieks coming from inside the Castle Keep. How odd, he thought, this place really is. However much he tried, he knew that he could never know what went on inside there..though he wished he did or could.

A few moments after he had gone out the gates and was walking halfway through the long-bridge—a horn was blown to sound the alarm for trouble. Someone was in trouble.

* * *

The wagon-carriage slowly bounced up and down as it made progress along the rocky road. After its rough journey across the North Mountain pass, it seemed as if it was only a matter of time before its wheels would collapse, but yet it strove on—onwards to the south. Inside the carriage, two men were talking about something.

"The Grovengards would have failed you by now." One man, a shadowy figure with a Swedish accent, spoke, "What will you do now?"

"How would you know this, exactly?" The other man, a proud-looking, well-dressed, proud-sounding noble, curiously inquired.

"Trust me, I know." The hooded figure said with a smile, "You don't have to be a fortune-teller to see the future. All you have to do is read the conditions at hand to make solid prediction. But...that's not important, what is important is your next decision."

"I wasn't counting on those two idiots to fail." The nobleman replies, an angry growl building up behind his tone, "One would think a hundred-thousand Kroner a very hard fortune to lose."

"Yes. Quite." The hooded man stared out the window for a second, then he quickly turned to his companion to face him, "But—! Suppose they did fail. Let's assume they had been found out, what will you do then?"

At this, the nobleman took a deep sigh. He seemed to be thinking about it, in fact the look in his eyes slowly changed from completely at ease to mildly apprehensive. He hadn't come up with a plan if the Grovengard brothers did fail him. Was it really possible for them to fail? No, they wouldn't.

"They're smarter than that. I'm sure they'll think of—"

"No-no. You very well said yourself that they were idiots, did you not?" The mysterious man teased. "But I can tell you're worried, so here's my proposition. My men are still holding Pierce Von Grovengard at Thoradell Fjord, as soon as we get to the Southern ports you say the word and I'll have the man disappear, along with all the other...evidence." He said with careless risk which was then followed by a drawn out laugh.

"How can you possibly be so lax?" The nobleman snapped, "You cannot make a light matter out of this! You underestimate the Kingdom of Arendelle, my friend."

"**NO**—Arendelle underestimates the _'Creed'!" _The man in the hood suddenly roared, "The _Creed _is the sure ruin of all that you see here. Our Order will bring Arendelle and all the other Southern Kingdoms under the control of the _'Creed'_; and when that is done, the rest will follow. We have the means, the money, the eyes, and all the men necessary to complete our course. What does Arendelle have? A castle not worth defending, a King who has no wisdom, who has a handful of men too few to be called an 'army', who has a few little ships too scanty to even be a 'navy'!" He then pulls the curtains of the carriage window back to reveal a group of frowning farmers working the soil of the countryside of southern Arendelle, "And citizens who do not like their brothers and their own King up north. What else does Arendelle have? Hm? Oh yes, I forgot—ICE! Ha!" He then burst into a maniacal, mocking and scolding laughter that could've been heard outside.

But the nobleman there sitting in the carriage with him was not convinced. "Arendelle," he began in a low-pitched voice, "is in an alliance with Harlindallr which not only is a very crucial port-kingdom, but is also a close ally with all of the major Duchies and Kingdoms of the Baltic States and...of the Kingdom of Norway, do not forget that."

"Oh. I haven't. You can be sure of that." The hooded figure pointed a straight finger at the noble, "But mark my words well, that will change very soon."

The nobleman looked surprised to hear that; he wasn't expecting such a bold reply. He wanted to ask how soon and how it was to be changed, but then disregarded it completely. Slowly, he leaned over to his companion and glared at him in a very serious manner.

"And don't you forget...if it were not for my help, neither you nor your 'Order' would've ever known about Arendelle. You'd never have gotten this far. So my decision will stay, regardless if the Grovengards fail; no one will touch the Head Bailiff and no one will act against the Kingdom...not just yet."

"Yes. Of course." The hooded figure seemed content, but as the noble looked the other way he shot a sharp, ugly look the man's way. Then he shifted in his own seat, thinking of his own plans and intentions. He smiled...it wouldn't take long at all.

* * *

Tired though he was, King Agdar felt no need to rest. The day had been long—longer than usual, and the sun was, no doubt, already setting outside. The King of Arendelle could smell the nauseating stench of burnt taffeta filling the Great Hall like smoke in a furnace. He was glad he'd acted fast enough; fire was no joke, it could spread faster than any parasite, and if helped by the wind—than any plague.

Hearing the alarm that had been sounded by the horn, King Augustus dropped everything and immediately made for the Great Hall where all the drama was situated. On arrival, he saw that everything had gone into chaos, somewhat, and inquired of his brother what had happened.

"A fire." Said Agdar; Augustus raised his brows.

"A fire?"

"Yes, a fire." King Agdar gestured for a few men to take the burnt curtains out the Hall. "No need to worry, it was only a small blaze."

"Who started the fire, Agdar?"

King Agdar stared at his brother for a moment, looked up and sighed then answered; "I...I don't know. I'll take care of it."

Thus saying, King Agdar paced upstairs in a half-irritated manner and made for his daughters' room. He wasn't so worried about the trouble that they had caused, or even the lives they did harm, so much as he was concerned about their own welfare. Well...no, he was worried about all the people that could've been hurt in that little incident, but that was King-side talking. He, as a father, however, was all the more troubled about his girls...about Elsa.

What could have happened if he hadn't been able to stop his eldest daughter from using her powers—her forbidden magic? Nobody had known of his magical heir's powers for as long since she had been born. He made sure that it would be kept as a sworn family-secret, and that he would be the guardian of that secret for as long as he lived. Only a selected few, as far as he knew, were aware of Elsa's magical abilities.

Quietly, the King knocked on his daughters' door. And it was Anna who opened it.

"Papa?" His younger daughter looked up at him through the small creak on the door; she'd left a very small creak so that only a faint ray of light from the bright hallway shone into the dark bedroom.

"Anna." He smiled faintly, "May I come in, my dear?"

Anna nodded as she opened the door. Agdar smiled down at her again, and entered the bedroom as his daughter closed the door behind him. It was as dim as midnight in the room, and a little bit gloomy as well. The King of Arendelle gulped a bit as he looked around the room, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dark.

_'This room needs a candle,' _he thought, _'I'll need to get some light in here.'_

"Anna, where's your sister?"

"She's over there." Anna silently pointed towards Elsa's bed on the adjacent side of the room close to the window. Agdar nodded, but it was still too dark to see much.

Anna skipped over daintily and led him by the hand towards Elsa's bedside. When he could finally see as much, he turned over to where the lamp was and switched the lantern on. The faint light seeped throughout the room like a smoky fog for a second, then dimmed to where it only illuminated the space around Elsa's bed.

"I'll have to replace this lamplight soon." Agdar said. Anna examined his tired face with wide eyes.

"You don't have to replace my lamp, it works just fine." She said. He smiled at her again, but knew she was worried about something.

"Let's see if we can find your older sister, shall we?" Said the King, as he looked over Elsa's untidy bed. It looked as if she'd been keeping a cat in here. "She's somewhere around here, right?"

"Right! She's over here!" Anna had gone over to the other side of the bed, "I found her!"

Agdar came around the bed and found Elsa withdrawn over to the corner of her bed, face to the wall, in a secluded manner. Anna ran over and put a hand on her sister's shoulder. The King observed silently.

"What's wrong Elsa?" Gently, Anna shook Elsa's shoulder, "You didn't tell me you were mad about something."

"'m not mad." Elsa muttered; a faint mumble lost in some silence. She never turned around.

"Okay then...why are you sad?" Anna's persistent and sincere zeal knew no bounds.

"I'm not sad." Elsa answered, this time her voice grew to a noticeable degree of volume. Agdar decided to intervene.

"Anna." He called, Anna looked back. "Come here, sit down."

Anna did as she was told, and watched as her father slowly came over to where Elsa was slouching against her bed. Tenderly, King Agdar, slowly bending down, wrapped his spacious arms around Elsa, his beloved daughter. Picking her up off the floor as one would a precious pet, Agdar sighed and kissed her on the head; the light, fair, delicate strands of platinum-blond hair felt like the softest silk on his lips.

"Hoghhh...min 'Gaerr Snjarfnukk'..." He cooed affectionately. Elsa looked into his eyes, she slept in his loving, understanding eyes. Agdar knew she knew what he had said, what he had called her.

Ever since she could walk, Elsa could understand him whenever he spoke the Old Tongue—the ancient words of their Royal Viking ancestors—to her. He had taught her how to speak High Arendalsk, or as was commonly called—Háendal Mál; although it was now a nearly extinct dialect among the Common Public, and spoken only by a very few of the High Nobles and Northerners. He tried to teach Anna too, but she was content with the Common Tongue—Norroenn, or now more familiarly known as—Norwegian.

Now, he called her by the name that he had given her on her birthday, as he'd always called her, in the Old Tongue: 'Gaerr Snarfnukk,' or 'Dear Snowflake.'

Still holding her in his arms, Agdar sat down on Elsa's bed next to Anna and again, spoke to comfort and reassure her;

"Elsa, Jek elsgé dek." He stared into the blue ice deep in the middle of her eyes, "Tu veita Jek géa. Ek...tu veita tu fodelle meka hva eidvedna."

Elsa nodded slowly, a small smile started at the corner of her mouth. He'd told her that he loved her, and that she knew that he did, and how that she knew she could tell him anything. Anna, who had also been listening, could do nothing but scratch her head in confusion as she'd always done every time they talked this way.

"Jek elsgé dek dil." Elsa spoke now, her voice very soft; Agdar smiled lovingly. "Svi...e Jeg í varfiði ná?" She asked him if she was in trouble. He only softened the loving expression on his face.

"Trouble? No..." He pressed Elsa closer to his chest, "No, my sweet, you're not—"

"Trouble?!" Anna suddenly jumped, it was as if that was the exact word she had been waiting for, the only word she heard, "Papa no! It wasn't Elsa! It was me! It was me who did it! It's all my fault! Please don't make Elsa be in trouble, she was just trying to stop me, she was just doing what you told us to do! I was the one who caused all the trouble, the one who should be in trouble. Papa, I—"

Anna, who was clearly close to tears in all her sincerity, was interrupted by her father who took her in his left arm, hushing her momentarily. Pressing her closely to him, he took a deep breath as he kissed his youngest on her forehead.

"Anna..." he stretched out her name, rubbing the angelic freckles on her forehead and temples, "Nobody will be punished. I love the both of you too much to do so. And I understand that you're both still very young, and that girls—especially little princesses—" he tickles both girls playfully, causing each to jerk and thrash around while bursting out giggling, "—tend to make mistakes. Of course, I was a bit of a troublemaker myself as a young prince."

Both of his girls laugh at this—especially Elsa. He knew that she alone believed that he was and had always been perfect, she was wrong, but she was also young. Humble though he was, it felt good to be admired. He was happy here with his daughters and in all fun, he started to laugh along with them.

"Oh, alright-alright. Girls!" He turned to look each of them in the eye, "I think its time for a break from all this trouble, what do you think?"

"Yes, papa!" Elsa nods.

"Mmhm!" Anna jumps.

Agdar let out another series of laughter, before proceeding. "Yes, good. Let's see if everything is fixed downstairs; that banquet should be getting on by this time. Anna, go run off and find your mother, she should still be in the drawing room next to the Gallery talking with a few noblewomen; tell her that we'll be helping prepare the banquet."

Nodding with a grin above her chin, Anna sped off without any hesitation whatsoever. Agdar was left alone in the room with his beloved heir.

"Father?" He heard her voice call from behind, he turned to her.

"Yes, dear?"

"Those men. At the Felles Bønn. The ones who—"

"—I sent to the dungeons, yes?" He finished for her, it was tough to keep a straight face. But he had to. So, she had seen it all after all...just as he feared. She nodded. He sighed deeply.

'_She's growing up. I might as well explain myself as well I could.'_ He thought carefully before he spoke. "Elsa. Listen to me carefully. You are my eldest daughter and my heir. I am very proud of you." He ruffled her hair playfully, "Now, you may think it strange for me to do what I did, to act the way I had acted back in that hall. I don't accuse your judgement, it was, after all, the first time you saw your father as the 'King of Arendelle' at his true nature. But don't let that side of me blur your pride in who you know I truly am, your father. Now I ask you, do you trust me?"

Elsa nodded right away, as he knew she would.

"You do. So, I want you to understand that whatever choices I make as King I am also making them as your father, who loves you above anything else. Remember, just because the snow feels cold does not mean that it is not also warm. Remember the snow cave?" Elsa nodded again, he kissed her lightly on the brow. "Good. Trust me, as soon as everything unravels, it will all make sense. You just wait and see. Whatever is puzzling you will become as clear as ice. I love you...min Gaerr Snjarfnukk."

After that, Agdar walked with Elsa downstairs hand-in-hand. He was more tired than ever, all the day's trouble now took its toll on him. But that was just a 'small blaze', the real bonfire was just waiting to be lit.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: 'Kay...well, I lied, this chapter is longer than the last one. Actually its longer than the last two, sorry. However, I justify my means with the fact that my plot is really starting to develop and I need A LOT of words to speed up that process. Remember: this is still only part one of a three part plot line in this fic.**

**As for the 'High Arendalsk' dialect, it is, again, completely fictional so do not freak out. I made it up, though it is based on Norwegian(specifically Arendalsk) and Old Norse, and other Scandinavian-based languages. **

**In all honesty, I'm not convinced with this chapter, I was going to add more to it, but thought, 'Hey, I've taken long enough to write this chapter anyways, don't want my readers to nap on it now, do I?' **

**Frozen is Disney's original masterpiece, not mine at all. **

**P.S. I CANNOT WAIT FOR FROZEN 2!**


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